let's improve on the Oscars

I largely gave up on the idea that the Oscars were some realistic measure of quality in film (mostly talking about the Best Picture award here, but your mileage may vary with all of the awards) around the time I learned that How Green Was My Valley bested Citizen Kane for the best picture award back at the dawn of time.

Everyone still takes these awards seriously, but why? I mean, how many Best Picture Oscars does Mad Max: Fury Road have? Zero. It has zero despite being not just the best film of the year it came out, but the best film of the decade as well.

The Academy has released the nominees for this years awards, and there is a lot to be worried about. The list of Best Picture nominees isn't offensive. It's just odd.

Here it is:

Ford V. Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood
Parasite

  

Ford V. Ferrari  doesn't belong on this list at all. It's mid-range suburban dad entertainment. Maybe it could deserve some technical love, or costume design, but certainly not best picture. 

1917 is a real stretch. It's a big technical achievement, sure, but certainly not in the discussion for the best film of the year.

Joker? Are you kidding me? Back in 2009 they failed to nominate The Dark Knight for best picture. It was a stupid oversight. It obviously deserved the love. Everyone involved learned a lesson. The wrong lesson, apparently. Now we get a best picture nomination for Joker. 

Now to the things missing. Where is Us? Jordan Peele's follow-up to Get Out was a stunning, brilliant, terrifying film and should be in consideration for this honor. 

Dolemite is My Name is missing from this list only because it's a comedy and the Academy dislikes comedies for some reason. 

The farewell has the same problem.

I cannot imagine a world in which Jennifer Kent's brutal, lyrical, beautious The Nightingale is not considered worthy of an Oscar nomination. 

Where's The Lighthouse? Where's Knives Out? 

How is Ari Aster's Midsommar not on this list?

We can do better. Here at Couch Thing we think that our readers are smarter (and better looking) than the Academy voters. Let's pick our own Best Picture winner. Here's the ballot:

Us

The Nightingale

The Irishman

Parasite

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

The Lighthouse

Knives Out

Little Women

Midsommar

Dolemite is My Name

The Farewell

Other

leave a comment and give your pick. If you choose OTHER, be sure to name your choice. In a week we will tally the results (assuming any) and announce the winner of the first annual Couch Thing Best Picture of the Year Award .